The Bernstein Brief: Derrick Rose Puzzles Again
By Dan Bernstein-
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) Derrick Rose likes to think of himself as a "businessman" as much as basketball player, a reference he made again Monday in speaking to the media for the first time since his Feb. 27 knee surgery.
He has been clear about wanting to preserve his health for his envisioned corporate meetings after his career ends, probably imagining a real, grown-up briefcase and everything. Based on his actual approach to his business, this is sounding more like a toddler running around the house insisting he's a fire truck.
Businesses are largely about image, with immense resources devoted to researching, understanding and responding to how consumers relate on levels both conscious and subconscious to the product, service or brand. Crafting public perception and subsequent connection is vital to a company's success.
Rose not only doesn't know this, he doesn't care. And he doesn't care that he doesn't know.
Even after the Bulls tried to make it easy for him to do things differently this time -- team doctors gave him a generous four-to-six-week window for a return from a routine knee clean-up that often sees athletes back in half that time -- he refused to commit to coming back at all, content once again to mumble cluelessy about God and listening to his body and taking his time.
Asked about the medical timetable made public by his employer, he said, "Who cares?"
With this kind of image management from a self-purported "businessman," fewer people do every time he opens his mouth.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
